It comes in up to 32 GB storage capacity and is resistant to the elements

Dec 17, 2012 13:20 GMT  ·  By

Despite there being little room to maneuver, memory and storage device makers have succeeded in miniaturizing their technologies enough that even a tiny flash drive like the Kingmax UI-06 can hold 32 GB.

32 GB isn't the highest capacity that flash drives have ever sported. That would be 256 GB, as amazing as it sounds.

The latter are very rare though, and expensive and 128 GB units are a close second. Even 64 GB drives are expensive and, thus, uncommon.

32 GB is barely manageable for mid-range customers, doubly so when the packaging is small, but Kingmax decided not to hold back for once.

Its new storage device uses the COB technology (chip on board), which maximizes the capacity-per-physical-volume ratio.

It also allows the 34.5 (L)x12 (W)x 4 (H) mm unit (1.35 x 0.47 x 0.15 inches) to cope with water and dust easily enough, although the Product in Package (PIP) technology does most of the work here.

Furthermore, the Kingmax UI-06 is very fast. Data is read at up to 85 MB/s, while the writing speed can reach 22 MB/s.

This all applies to USB 3.0 of course. When USB 2.0 is used instead of SuperSpeed ports, the transfer speed falls to 480 Mbps (MB/s).

Likewise, USB 1.1 will prevent files from being moved at more than 12 Mbps / 1.5 megabytes.

Not that anyone will be inclined to limit themselves of course, but it doesn't hurt to have the option of functioning on older PCs.

Other specs include a strap hole and sandblasted metallic grey or blue coloring.

Kingmax did not reveal the price of the UI-06 flash drive in its press release, but it did put up a product page on its official website. Online stores should eventually expose the cost of the 32 GB drive, and that of the 8 GB and 16 GB versions. In the meantime though, the rest of the information can be found here.